Tonight, I'm Just Me
by Michiri
Summary: Miley's still crushing on Jake when she returns to Zombie High for a second episode. Maybe things will go better this time... JakexMiley [OneShot]


Miley sighed as she looked in the mirror and put her wig on. She was on her way to her second episode of Zombie High… And this time, she and Jake were going to kiss.

She _wasn't_ nervous. So, she – Miley – liked him. Big deal. And he liked her. Then there was the whole deal at the dance the _last_ time she'd guest starred in Zombie High. But things were different now. Besides, he was kissing Hannah, not Miley.

She'd gone back to being herself at school again – not fawning over him like the other girls, and only staring at him _sometimes_. And now Hannah Montana was going to kiss him.

As the make-up artist finished her ghoulish purple, grey, and black make-up, Jake walked in, acting much less the stuck-up celebrity he'd acted the last time he'd met Hannah.

"So…" she said, smiling innocently. "How'd it go with that girl from your school? You know, from the last time I was here."

"Oh, Miley." He frowned. "Well, I mean, everything I liked about her before, I still like about her. See, at the dance, she started to like me, then fought her best friend for me, and _then_ they both decided they were over me. Now, she's back to being like she was before, you know, treating me like a _person_. And her best friend? Lilly? She's the treat-me-like-a-celebrity type. Not as bad as the other girls, but still. And she's back to being that, too. It's like the dance never happened…"

"Hmm," Hannah said, nodding, happily noticing he was keeping Rachel out of the story. "If you liked and still like this Miley, why did she have to fight her best friend for you?"

"Okay, you see, I asked Lilly out to the dance. First, because you told me I should move on. Second, to make Miley jealous... And, I didn't want to ask the… let's just say my in-school fan club."

"And what's your plan now?"

"There's another dance this weekend… I was thinking of asking her again, but after what happened last time, I don't think it's such a good idea."

"I think you should ask her. I mean, it's worth a shot, right?" She smiled nervously.

The director called out from the set. "Jake! Hannah! We need you on set NOW!" When they walked on, he grinned at Hannah and told her, "Big fan, big fan. And, remember you kiss _Jake_ this time. _Not_ Demon Dog."

Hannah's face twitched a little. "Good," she said, nodding slowly. "Because I tasted kibbles and gravy for a week." She was serious… even if it was her own fault.

"Our love is forbidden… But I cannot help my feelings for you!" she cried out to him from across the room.

"Do I look like I care if it's forbidden?" He asked her, crossing the room. Jake took her face in his hands and kissed her. And Miley, who had promised herself to stay totally professional about this – well, as professional as possible – just melted.

* * *

At school the next day, Miley nearly melted again, just seeing him. _Oh, no you don't_, she told herself._ Don't go all mushy like the other girls **again**._

Lilly pulled her aside in the hall. "You've been acting weird all day. What happened yesterday at you-know-where, Miley?"

"Well… Just the big you-know-what." She sighed. "It was amazing."

"And you still haven't told him you like him. And Rachel is outta the picture, now! We both know that he dumped her a week ago."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Miley sighed. "Fine. I'll tell him tonight… At the dance. I get the feeling he's going to ask me to this one, too. This time, I'll say yes." She grinned.

"Oh, boy. More Ha—er, you-know-who stuff?"

"What? He asked for her advice." She gave an innocent look. "Oh, wow, look at the time. You-know-who has an interview today. Not to mention I have to get a date for the dance," she called back at Lilly, as she began to get going.

And promptly bumped bodily into Jake. "Hey, Miley," he said.

"Oh, uh, hi, Jake." She grinned. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, no big deal. Um, I overheard you talking about getting a date for the dance… Do you want to go with me? I mean, I know that you said no to the last dance, but—"

"Yes, I'd love to go with you."

"I know I shouldn't be asking you _again_, that I should be moving on, maybe asking Amber or Ashley or…" He blinked. "Did you just say _yes_?"

Miley nodded slowly. "That would be another yes."

"Good," he said, nodding, slightly confused. "See you… later, Miley."

He walked off, obviously dazed. Hannah Montana had been right. _How had she known? _he wondered.

* * *

After she got home, Miley pulled off the blonde wig and began getting ready for the dance. She pulled a nice dress from her Hannah closet. It was navy blue, with small rhinestones sparkling across the top half, sure to catch the low lights in the gym that night. She did her make-up carefully, and fixed her hair.

At the last minute, she stuffed another outfit in a bag, and went to the dance.

Once she was inside, she gave the bag to Lilly. "Take this to your locker, and put it in there until I tell you I need it back. It's about you-know-who."

* * *

And, at midnight, it was time. She'd had the best time dancing and talking with Jake, and she was feeling all melty again. "Lilly, get the bag," she whispered to her friend.

When Lilly returned with the large duffel bag, Miley went to the bathroom with it.

"Where's she going?" Jake asked Lilly.

"I don't know. But something tells me she'll be there a little while." She smiled innocently. "Oh, hey, look!" She pretended to be surprised, then yelled, "It's Hannah Montana!"

Hannah walked right over to Lilly and Jake. "Hey." She smiled, looking right at Jake.

" 'Scuse me," Lilly told them, walking away, watching.

"Can I have a word with you? Somewhere a little less… fanatic?" When he nodded, she spoke again. "Good, 'cause I need to talk with you."

In the only half-lit hallway, Hannah stood right in front of Jake. "Don't look at me as Hannah, or a celebrity. You told me that the girl you liked saw you as the person. Look at me as a person, Jake."

He looked carefully at her face, and recognized familiar features. "I… I know your face. And not as Hannah Montana…" He said, confused.

"Maybe this'll help," she said. She pulled off the wig.

And he merely stared. "Miley. You're Hannah Montana."

"Now you know why I treated you like that when you got here. Because I know stars are just regular people."

He nodded slowly.

"See, I have to wear this wig for shows and other stuff so I can keep my real life. So I can be Hannah without having to deal with… well, that," she said, jerking a thumb at the gym.

"I… wow. So, that first time I met Hannah… it was you giving me advice on you?"

"Yeah."

"And yesterday?"

"That was me."

He grinned. "Then I know exactly how this'll feel." And he once again held her face and kissed her.

"Okay," he said carefully. "So it was a bit different. But a good different."

Miley nodded. "Yeah," she said dreamily. "So, um, Jake? Can we keep this whole Hannah-Montana-is-really-Miley-Stewart thing between us? Well, Lilly, Oliver, my dad, and my brother know, but… I just don't want all this to happen to me." She glanced back at the gym again.

"Sure, I'll keep your secret. But Miley, you're still going to get some publicity."

"Why is that?"

"Because when the press gets a hold of the fact that Jake Ryan has a new girlfriend, she's going to get a lot of attention from them."


End file.
